Moonlight House (Book 2, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 6 - Safe

SAM

Movie credits roll on the TV screen and I wonder from which movie or if they belong to the one I intended to watch. I sat on the couch with a bag of popcorn but that one is still lying untouched on the coffee table. My neck hurts so definitely I fell asleep while sitting. The wall clock reads 1:47 AM and I breathe with relief when Erin walks inside the apartment.

"Babe, what are you doing still up?" Her face has an odd expression. She isn't upset, but something isn't fine.

"I wanted to watch a movie, but I don't remember seeing any. I'll head to bed now; my neck is killing me. How was it at the club?"

"Not so good," she shakes her head while she hangs her jacket and beanie.

"Adam giving you shit about the hair?"

"No, nothing like that," she sits next to me on the couch and takes her booties off. "I... I fucked up and I don't know what to do about it," she hugs her knees and looks around the room.

"What happened?" I sit close to her and place my hand on her arm.

"I met a guy tonight. His name is Matt and he came to the club to distract himself from a break up. He found his girl cheating on him and was super bummed about it. I tried to cheer him up by dedicating him a song. I wanted to be nice to him and even reheated a bit of your potato soup for him. Hope you don't mind."

"Not if he liked it. Your mom would have done the same."

"Exactly! Because that's what we were taught. Someone's having a bad day? You feed their soul and their bellies. So we were talking in the kitchen and Noah heard me when I said he's just a friend and that I'm not interested in him or you. He got pissed and gave me a cold shoulder the rest of the night."

"Noah has been in love with you for like forever," I sigh. "This must have been hard for him to hear."

"You knew? Why would you keep that from me?"

"Because it's not my place to share that information. I don't like to meddle in other people's business. He should have told you a long time ago."

"And you know what's worse? It happened before the last set. Do you know how awkward is to sing 'What I Like About You' when basically someone just found out you don't like them? It was a roller coaster of emotions, and it took all my will to be cheerful for Rory's show. The crowd didn't notice a thing, but he didn't even make eye contact with me."

Noah brings her home usually and it sets alarms in my head. "How did you come home then?"

"Adam brought me."

"Until Noah and you clear things out, I will stay at the club until closing and bring you home myself."

"No Sam, you put long days already. I will find a safe way to come home."

"We should maybe look for another place to live. I still worry knowing that you are out so late."

"Nothing will happen again. I don't want to move and I have said a million times that I don't want to be reminded about that day." Erin stands up and heads to her bedroom, then closes the door with a slam.

The guys and I agreed that we need to keep Erin safe and can't let anything happen to her again. Erin and I live about ten minutes away from the club by car, in an area of Greenwood that is quite okay. Crime rarely happens in this part of town, so when it does, it's a big deal for everybody. Ten minutes is not very far away from our work, but Erin can't drive and would normally take a bus or a taxi to come home. One night, while walking to the apartment building from the nearest bus stop, a guy attacked her. It seems he had been watching her routine for a while because he was waiting for her. One of our neighbors, who happens to be a security guard, was coming home from his shift and heard screams from an alley. He pulled the guy off Erin and knocked him out.